Iron comprising a water reservoir which is provided with a filling orifice on the rear face of said iron

ABSTRACT

The inventive steam iron comprises a water reservoir ( 3 ) provided with a filling orifice ( 5 ) arranged on the rear face of the iron in such a way that the reservoir ( 3 ) is filled when the iron is tilted forward. Said reservoir comprises a ventilation circuit provided with an end penetrating into the rear part of the reservoir ( 3 ) and an end communicating with external air and arranged on the top front part of the iron. The iron is characterised in that said ventilation circuit comprises a pipe ( 12 ) which has a small cross section, is introduced into the rear part of the reservoir ( 3 ) and is extended by a hollow end element ( 15 ) whose cross section is greater and which extends downwards and is provided with an opening in the lower part thereof.

The present invention relates to a pressing iron and more particularlyto a pressing iron having a water reservoir provided with a fillingopening on the rear face of the iron.

There is known from patent application FR 2 830 266, filed by theapplicant, a pressing iron having an opening for filling the reservoirplaced at the level of the heel of the iron and oriented in a mannersuch that the filling of the reservoir is carried out by holding thepressing iron substantially vertically, the tip toward the bottom. Suchan arrangement makes it possible to have a filling opening ofsignificant size, free of any obstacle, which facilitates rapid fillingof the reservoir, by placing it in particular directly under a tap.However, the reservoir of such an iron must be provided with a ventplaced at the back of the reservoir, this vent having to be connected toa pipe emerging into the free air at the front of the iron, above thereservoir, so that the water in the reservoir does not run out throughthe vent when the iron is placed on its heel, on its soleplate or isrocked ahead.

However, such a vent circuit presents the disadvantage of permitting thewater in the reservoir to rise naturally in the pipe of the vent circuitwhen the iron is posed on its heel. Thus, if the iron is then rockedforwards, water present in the pipe flows to the outside of the ironthrough the outlet of the vent, which is objectionable to the user.

It is thus preferable to use, for the vent circuit, a pipe of smallcross section in order to reduce the volume of water contained in thelatter. The use of a pipe of small cross section also has the advantageof reducing the space occupied by the pipe, which is particularlysignificant when the latter is placed in the reservoir. However, theapplicant has realized that the use of a pipe of small cross sectionpromotes adherence, by capillarity, of water drops to the walls of thepipe. These drops remain in the pipe instead of being evacuated into thereservoir when the iron is rocked from the vertical position, on itsheel, to the horizontal position on its soleplate, and thus preventingthe vent from completely fulfilling its role of venting the reservoir.The poor venting of the reservoir that results therefrom can lead to ahalt of water flow towards the steam chamber of the pressing iron, inparticular when the height of water in the reservoir becomes lesssignificant, and to interrupt the production of steam while waterremains in the reservoir.

Therefore, a goal of the present invention is to remedy thesedisadvantages by offering a pressing iron having a reservoir withfilling at the rear provided with an improved vent circuit that ensuresa good connection of the reservoir to the air while reducing the risksof flow of water out of the reservoir in the various functionalpositions of the iron.

To this end, the invention has as an object a pressing iron having awater reservoir provided with a filling opening located on the rear faceof the iron so that filling of the reservoir is carried out by holdingthe iron rocked forwards, the reservoir having a vent circuit presentingan end opening at the rear part of the reservoir and an end, in contactwith the surrounding air, located in the upper front part of the iron,characterized in that the vent circuit has a pipe of small cross sectionwhich opens in the upper rear part of the reservoir and is prolonged bya hollow end element, of larger cross section, extending downwardly andhaving an opening in its lower part.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to aspirate the water dropletspresent in the pipe of the vent circuit when the iron is rocked from thevertical position, on its heel, to the horizontal position on itssoleplate. In effect, the water contained in the end element, when theiron is posed on its heel, descends like a piston into the bottom of thereservoir when the iron is rocked onto its soleplate, which causes theaspiration, like a pump, of water present in the pipe, thus eliminatingthe possible water drops attached by capillarity.

According to a particular mode of realization of the invention, thehollow end element has the form of a bell widening from the top to thebottom. Such a characteristic makes it possible to have a hollow endelement presenting small overall dimensions in its upper part whilehaving a significant internal volume;

According to another characteristic of the invention, the vent circuithas a buffer chamber interposed between the pipe and the end of the ventcircuit in communication with the surrounding air, the buffer chamberbeing placed in the upper front part of the body of the iron in order tobe above the maximum water level in the reservoir when the iron restshorizontally. Such a characteristic makes it possible to prevent waterfrom escaping through the end of the vent circuit while collecting, inthe buffer chamber, water present in the vent circuit when the iron isrocked forwards.

According to still another characteristic of the invention, the volumeof the buffer chamber corresponds substantially to the volume of thepipe extending between the buffer chamber and the bell. Such acharacteristic makes it possible to obtain a buffer chamber of smalloverall dimensions whose volume is optimized to limit the risks of flowof water outside of the vent circuit.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the fillingopening of the reservoir is prolonged to the interior of the reservoirby a sleeve providing in the reservoir, outside the sleeve, a reserve ofair. Such a characteristic has the advantage of providing a reserve ofair that is difficult to fill with water during the filling of thereservoir.

According to still another characteristic of the invention, the bell isplaced at the level of the reserve of air provided at both sides of thesleeve. Such a characteristic has the advantage of preventing water frompenetrating into the bell and flowing into the vent circuit during theoperation of filling the reservoir.

According to still another characteristic of the invention, thereservoir is in communication with a drip device plug feeding a steamchamber, the plug being fed by a channel whose rear end emerges insidethe reservoir at the level of the lower rear part of the reservoir. Sucha characteristic makes it possible to prevent water from flowing outprematurely past the drip device plug during the filling of thereservoir.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the rear end ofthe supply channel of the plug emerges into the air reserve provided atboth sides of the sleeve. Such a characteristic makes it possible tofurther limit the risks of flow of water past the drip device plugduring the filling of the reservoir.

One will better understand the goals, aspects and advantages of thisinvention, according to the description given hereafter of a particularembodiment of the invention presented as a nonlimiting example, whilereferring to the annexed drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a general view, in longitudinal cross section, of a pressingiron according to a particular embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the pressing iron of FIG. 1 in which the upperhalf-view is represented partially broken away;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 representating the iron resting onits heel;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1, representing the iron in positionrocked forwards, adapted for filling of the reservoir;

FIGS. 1 and 2 represent a diagrammatic view of a steam pressing ironhaving a heating soleplate 1, a handle 2 and a body integrating a waterreservoir 3. Handle 2 is connected to the rear of the iron by two arms 4extending, while diverging from handle 1, to the body of the iron sothat the structure obtained is substantially triangulated andconstitutes a heel on which the iron can rest.

In accordance with FIG. 1, reservoir 3 of the iron comprises a fillingopening 5 disposed on the rear face of the iron, between the two arms 4.Opening 5 is inclined towards the rear of the iron so that the fillingof the iron is carried out by holding the iron rocked forward, asrepresented in FIG. 5.

Filling opening 5 is sealed by a removable stopper 6 and has acylindrical sleeve 5 a, in the axis of opening 5, extending over a fewcentimeters towards the interior of reservoir 3. The lower end of sleeve5 a delimits the maximum level of filling of reservoir 3 when the ironis in the filling position, rocked forwards. Moreover, in this fillingposition, sleeve 5 a provides in reservoir 3, on both sides of thesleeve 5 a, a volume that is difficult to fill with water, constitutinga reserve of air.

Reservoir 3 is connected, by the intermediary of a supply tube 8, to achamber 9 integrated in the front part of reservoir 3 and feeding a dripdevice plug 7 delivering water gradually into a steam chamber 10integrated in heating soleplate 1.

Supply tube 8 extends to the bottom of reservoir 3 and has an end 8 aopening freely to the rear of the reservoir, in the volume surroundingthe sleeve 5 a. The other end 8 b of the supply tube is connected to adrip preventing valve 11 interposed between reservoir 3 and chamber 9for supplying drip device plug 7. In a known way, drip preventing valve11 is controlled by a control unit, not represented, ensuring theclosing of the valve when the temperature of the steam chamber is notsufficient for the production of steam.

In accordance with FIGS. 1 to 3, reservoir 3 is provided with a ventcircuit having a vent pipe 12, of small passage cross section, extendinginto reservoir 3, the internal diameter of vent pipe 12 being of theorder of 4 mm. Vent pipe 12 has a rear end 12 a opening into the upperrear part of reservoir 3 and a front end 12 b connected to a bufferchamber 13 placed above reservoir 3, at the front end of the latter.Buffer chamber 13 has a volume substantially equal to the volume ofwater that can be contained in vent pipe 12 and has an upper wallprovided with an opening 13 a communicating with the surrounding air bythe intermediary of a nozzle 14.

The rear end 12 a of the vent pipe is connected to an element 15 in theshape of a bell widening progressively from the top to the bottom andpresenting an opening 15 a at its lower end disposed substantially atthe middle of the height of reservoir 3. This bell 15 is placed as farbehind reservoir 3 as possible so as to be submerged in the water of thereservoir when the iron is posed on its heel.

The operation of such a pressing iron and in particular the variousflows occurring in the vent circuit and the circuit supplying the plugwhen the iron is placed on its heel, on its soleplate or rocked towardthe front will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 4 represents the iron in its vertical position on its heel. In thisposition, bell 15 is full of water and water rises through vent tube 12until reaching equilibrium with the water level in the remainder ofreservoir 3. If the iron is then brought back to the horizontalposition, the water contained in bell 15 falls back to the bottom ofreservoir 3, under the effect of gravity, while acting like a pistoncreating an aspiration in vent pipe 12. Vent pipe 12 is thus freed ofpossible water drops adhering by capillarity to its walls. Moreover, theaspiration created by the fall of the volume of water in the bell hasthe advantage of being maximum when that the water level in thereservoir becomes low, i.e. when it is necessary to have a good exposureof the reservoir to the air to ensure a good flow of water from thereservoir towards the steam chamber.

Bell 15 also has the advantage of having a breakwater effect that limitsthe rise of water in vent pipe 12 during the ironing phases where theiron is agitated from front to back in the horizontal position.

FIG. 5 represents the iron of FIG. 4 rocked forwards, in a positionadapted for the filling of the reservoir.

In accordance with this figure, the presence of buffer chamber 13 makesit possible to prevent water from flowing through nozzle 14 of the ventcircuit when the iron, the reservoir full, passes from the positionresting on its heel to the rocked forward position represented in FIG.5. This situation can in particular occur when the user wishes to putwater in the reservoir when the latter is already full. In such a case,water being in vent pipe 12 is recovered in buffer chamber 13, when theiron is rocked forwards. When the iron is brought back to the horizontalposition, water in buffer chamber 13 flows through the vent circuit tofall back into reservoir 3.

Lastly, supply tube 8 for plug 7 makes it possible, as for it, toprevent the reservoir from being emptied through drip device plug 7, ifthe latter remains open when the iron is rocked forward. In effect, theend of supply tube 8 opens at the rear of reservoir 3 in an air pocketcreated by the presence of sleeve 5 a. Thus, only the small quantity ofwater present in supply tube 8 and supply chamber 9 can flow in thedirection of steam chamber 10 when the iron is rocked forward.

Such a pressing iron thus has the advantage of having a reservoir filledat the rear having a vent circuit ensuring an excellent communication ofthe reservoir with the surrounding air and not permitting water to flowout of the reservoir through the vent circuit when the iron is placed onits heel, its soleplate or is rocked forward for filling the reservoir.

Of course, the invention is by no means limited to the embodimentdescribed and illustrated which was given only by way of example.Modifications remain possible, in particular from the point of view ofthe constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technicalequivalents, without departing as a result from the field protection ofthe invention.

1. A pressing iron having a water reservoir (3) provided with a fillingopening (5) located on the rear face of the iron so that filling of thereservoir (3) is carried out by holding the iron rocked forwards, thereservoir having a vent circuit presenting an end opening at the rearpart of the reservoir (3) and an end, in contact with the surroundingair, located in the upper front part of the iron, characterized in thatsaid vent circuit comprises a pipe (12) of small cross section whichopens in the upper rear part of the reservoir (3) and is prolonged by ahollow end element (15), of larger cross section, extending downwardlyand having an opening (15 a) in its lower part.
 2. The iron according toclaim 1, characterized in that the end element (15) has the form of abell widening from the top to the bottom.
 3. The iron according to claim2, characterized in that the vent circuit has a buffer chamber (13)interposed between the pipe (12) and the end of the vent circuit incommunication with the surrounding air, said buffer chamber (13) beingplaced in the upper front part of the body of the iron in order to beabove the maximum water level in the reservoir (3) when the iron restshorizontally.
 4. The iron according to claim 3, characterized in thatthe volume of the buffer chamber (13) corresponds substantially to thevolume of the pipe (12) extending between the buffer chamber (13) andthe bell (15).
 5. The iron according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe filling opening (5) of the reservoir (3) is prolonged to theinterior of the reservoir by a sleeve (5 a) providing in the reservoir(3), outside the sleeve (5 a), a reserve of air during filling of thereservoir.
 6. The iron according to claim 5, characterized in that theend element (15) has the form of a bell widening from the top to thebottom, and the he bell (15) is placed in the reserve of air provided atboth sides of the sleeve.
 7. The iron according to claim 5,characterized in that said reservoir (3) is in communication with a dripdevice plug (7) feeding a steam chamber (10), said plug (7) being fed bya channel (8) whose rear end (8 a) emerges inside the reservoir (3) atthe level of the lower rear part of the reservoir (3).
 8. The ironaccording to claim 7, characterized in that said rear end (8 a) of thechannel (8) emerges into the air reserve provided at both sides of thesleeve (5 a).
 9. The iron according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe vent circuit has a buffer chamber (13) interposed between the pipe(12) and the end of the vent circuit in communication with thesurrounding air, said buffer chamber (13) being placed in the upperfront part of the body of the iron in order to be above the maximumwater level in the reservoir (3) when the iron rests horizontally. 10.The iron according to claim 1, characterized in that said reservoir (3)is in communication with a drip device plug (7) feeding a steam chamber(10), said plug (7) being fed by a channel (8) whose rear end (8 a)emerges inside the reservoir (3) at the level of the lower rear part ofthe reservoir (3).
 11. The iron according to claim 1, further comprisinga removable stopper for closing said filling opening when said iron isin use.